LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
November 28/15

Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
http://www.eliasbejjaninews.com/newsbulletins05/english.november28.15.htm 

Bible Quotations For Today

Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10/21-24: "At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’ Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.’

Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Letter to the Galatians 04/13-20: "You know that it was because of a physical infirmity that I first announced the gospel to you; though my condition put you to the test, you did not scorn or despise me, but welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.What has become of the goodwill you felt? For I testify that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you may make much of them. It is good to be made much of for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you."

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 27-28/15
A letter to Michel Aoun/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Now Lebanon/November 27/15
Why Turkey’s downing of the Russian jet is justified/Ceylan Ozbudak/Al Arabiya/November 27/15
Behind Putin and Khamenei’s courtship/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya/November 27/15
Turkey’s gift to Assad/Abdullah Hamidaddin/Al Arabiya/November 27/15

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin for Lebanese Related News published on November 27-28/15
Reports Say Servicemen Release Imminent as Ibrahim Says Case Hasn't Reached 'Final Phase'
Report: Franjieh Met with Nasrallah ahead of Hariri Meeting
Reports: Arsal Captives May be Freed in Swap Deal in Coming Hours
Salam Backs 'Any Rapprochement', Says Priority Must be for Electing President
Army Arrests Nusra Member who Executed Soldier in 2014
Geagea: March 14 Must Not Make Any Step unless It Serves March 14's Principles, Objectives
Kataeb Delegation Meets Aoun, Urges 'Common Approach' on Electoral Law
Iran to Run Tests to Uncover Cause of Abadi's Death in Saudi
Report: Lebanon Incurring $16 Billion in Losses from Refugee Crisis
Electoral Committee Holds First Meeting on Monday
Onus on Frangieh to garner Aoun’s
Hezbollah fires back at Saudi sanctions
A letter to Michel Aoun

Titles For Latest LCCC Bulletin For Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 27-28/15
Family of Saudi Death Row Youth Fear Imminent Execution
Israel Says to Open First Mission in Abu Dhabi
U.S. soldiers in Syria to back anti-ISIS Kurds
French FM Sees Syrian Regime Participating in Anti-IS Fight
Kremlin Says Western Powers 'not Ready' to Work in Anti-IS Coalition with Russia
Lavrov Says Turkey 'Crossed the Line' with Warplane Downing
Russia halts visa-free regime for Turks from 2016
German arms dealer probed over possible link to Paris attacks: prosecutor
Turkey ‘unwilling to apologize’ to Russia: Putin aide
Protesters Demonstrate against Arrest of Turkish Opposition Journalists
Palestinian shot dead after alleged car ramming
Tunisia attacks were planned in Libya: minister
Qatar launches probe after rains exposed poor construction

Links From Jihad Watch Site for November 27-28/15
FBI using elite surveillance teams to track at least 48 high-risk Islamic State suspects.
New “Study Quran” aims to convince you that the Muslim holy book doesn’t really mean what it says.
Italian police seize 800 shotguns bound for Belgium from Turkey.
Research: Islam really is the world’s most violent religion.
Germany: Two Muslims arrested, accused of plotting “significant criminal act against state security”.
Federal court grants AFLC’s motion to dismiss Hamas-linked CAIR’s lawsuit against Florida gun store’s “Muslim Free Zone”.
Report: Turkey collaborating with the Islamic State.
Yemen: Muslims murder two converts from Islam to Christianity.
Putin: Turkish leadership purposefully supports Islamization of country.
New Glazov Gang: When Brown-Shirts Need to Feel “Safe” on the American Campus.
IAEA top dog admits: cannot conclude that “all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities”

Reports Say Servicemen Release Imminent as Ibrahim Says Case Hasn't Reached 'Final Phase'
Naharnet/November 27/15/A number of captive Lebanese servicemen are expected to be freed in a swap deal with the captors in the coming hours, reports said on Friday, as the General Security urged an end to media speculation. “The Lebanese servicemen held by the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front will be freed tomorrow as part of a swap deal,” al-Mayadeen TV quoted a ministerial source as saying. In the evening, it said "a Lebanese security convoy has returned from Syria, carrying a number of al-Nusra Front members who were jailed in Syria."MTV meanwhile reported that "16 servicemen held hostage by al-Nusra Front will be released.""The women prisoners who have been transferred to the General Security headquarters for the swap deal are Saja al-Dulaimi, Jumana Hmeid, Samar al-Hindi, Layla al-Najjar and Ola al-Oqaili," it said. Al-Dulaimi, a divorcee of Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, told a Lebanese court in July that she had been married to the jihadist leader for only one month. Earlier, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim told NBN television that "things have not reached the final phase in the case of the captive servicemen," urging an end to "media speculation over the file."The General Security's media bureau also issued a statement urging the media to avoid speculation. “Some media outlets are circulating reports that a swap deal involving the captive servicemen will be carried out within hours and are also announcing specific timings for the exchange,” it said.
“The General Directorate of General Security announces that any progress in the case shall be officially declared in due time and it urges media outlets to take their information from the relevant authorities,” it added. The General Security also cautioned that “this file has a humanitarian aspect and it should not be tackled in this manner in order not to subject the servicemen's families to any disappointment or pressures.” Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) had reported that “a convoy comprising more than 20 SUVs has been seen crossing the Dahr al-Baydar checkpoint on its way to Arsal with the aim of carrying out the swap deal.”“The exchange will involve a group of prisoners including Hussein al-Hujeiri and Nizar Mawlawi and 5 women, most notably Saja al-Dulaimi, in addition to Syrian prisoners from the Hallaq, Najm and Rahal families,” it added. Prime Minister Tammam Salam meanwhile met at the Grand Serail with Ibrahim, “who briefed him on the details of the swap deal,” VDL added. In remarks to VDL (100.5), Sheikh Nabil Rahim, a prominent Islamist cleric, confirmed that the General Security “has transferred several Roumieh Islamist prisoners to its headquarters in Beirut,” noting that “the swap deal will happen tomorrow,” Saturday. Meanwhile NBN television quoted “informed sources” as saying that “the captive servicemen held by al-Nusra Front are expected to be released tonight.” The prisoners who were transferred to the General Security headquarters are seven Syrians and three Lebanese, MTV said. It identified them as Lebanese nationals Ihab H., Hussein H. and Ahmed A. and Syrian citizens Mohammed Y., Mohammed R., Mohammed N., Mohamed Y., Abdul Majid Gh., Abdul Latif A. and Ahmed L. A source from the so-called ministerial crisis cell told LBCI television that there are “serious indications” about a swap deal in the coming hours as another cell source told the TV network that the deal is “not imminent.” At the Riad al-Solh Square, the families of the hostages were optimistic, telling TV networks that they have received positive information. Earlier in the day, VDL (93.3) said Salam has “postponed his Paris trip to Sunday morning and scheduled a Grand Serail meeting for tomorrow (Saturday) morning.” “Sources have declined to reveal the meeting's purpose,” it said. The Lebanese troops and policemen were abducted in August 2014 during deadly battles between the army and jihadists from the IS and al-Nusra in and around the northeastern border town of Arsal. Four hostages have since been executed and the two groups had threatened to kill more captives if Lebanese authorities do not fulfill their demands. The demands include the release of Islamist prisoners, including women, from Lebanon's prisons.

Report: Franjieh Met with Nasrallah ahead of Hariri Meeting
Naharnet/November 27/15/Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh had held talks with Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah prior to his talks with Mustaqbal Movement head MP Saad Hariri last week, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Friday. Concerned sources told the daily that the MP had informed Nasrallah of the details of his expected talks with Hariri. The Franjieh-Hariri meeting had sparked intense speculation that they agreed to the nomination of the Marada chief as president. Sources from Hizbullah denied to the daily that the two officials had addressed the presidential elections seeing as the party's ally, MP Michel Aoun, is a candidate. Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat had sent his envoy Health Minister Wael Abou Faour to hold talks with Kataeb leader MP Sami Gemayel to inquire about his stance on Franjieh's potential nomination. An Nahar daily said that Gemayel had opposed his candidacy, despite the good ties he enjoys with the Marada chief. The MP had demanded however that Suleiman make guarantees on his position on Lebanon's neutrality from regional conflicts and that he would abide by the country's disassociation policy. Franjieh is allied with Hizbullah, which has been involved in fighting alongside the Syrian regime against the country's rebel uprising. He is also a personal friend of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A number of March 14 alliance figures had voiced their opposition to the nomination of Franjieh due to his close ties with Assad.

Reports: Arsal Captives May be Freed in Swap Deal in Coming Hours
Naharnet/November 27/15/A number of captive Lebanese servicemen might be freed in a swap deal with the captors in the coming hours, unconfirmed media reports said on Friday. “The Lebanese servicemen held by the Islamic State and al-Nusra Front will be freed tomorrow as part of a swap deal,” al-Mayadeen TV quoted a ministerial source as saying. MTV for its part said "eight prisoners have been transferred from Roumieh to the General Security's headquarters in preparation for the swap deal that will occur tomorrow in return for al-Nusra-held servicemen." Meanwhile, OTV said reports of an imminent swap deal are “baseless.” “The conditions and requirements for the swap deal have not changed and the ball is in the captors' court,” it quoted “official security sources” as saying. Earlier in the day, Hussein Youssef, a spokesman for the captives' families, told Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) that “there is no confirmed information until the moment about a swap deal.” Meanwhile, Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) said Prime Minister Tammam Salam has “postponed his Paris trip to Sunday morning and scheduled a Grand Serail meeting for tomorrow (Saturday) morning.” “Sources have declined to reveal the meeting's purpose,” it said. The Lebanese troops and policemen were abducted in August 2014 during deadly battles between the army and jihadists from the IS and al-Nusra in and around the northeastern border town of Arsal. Four hostages have since been executed and the two groups had threatened to kill more captives if Lebanese authorities do not fulfill their demands. The demands include the release of Islamist prisoners, including women, from Lebanon's prisons.

Salam Backs 'Any Rapprochement', Says Priority Must be for Electing President
Naharnet/November 27/15/Prime Minister Tammam Salam declared Friday his support for “any rapprochement” between the country's political forces, while stressing that the priority must be the election of a new president. “We back any rapprochement or openness between political forces and we stress that the top priority in any discussion or settlement proposal must be for the election of a president,” Salam said in a speech at the opening of the Beirut International Arab Book Fair at BIEL. Hailing the “national consensus” that followed the deadly bombings in Bourj al-Barajneh, the premier said “it reflected a high level of wisdom and responsibility from the political leaders.”“We see a possibility to capitalize on these stances in order to find the means to exit the current political crisis,” he added. “The national dialogue that is being sponsored by Speaker Nabih Berri and the bilateral talks between political forces are the best approach for finding agreements that can end the political deadlock and the paralysis of the legislative and executive authorities,” Salam went on to say. His remarks come amid a flurry of political consultations among Lebanese political forces. Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri held a series of talks in recent days with Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh, Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat and Kataeb Party leader Sami Gemayel. The Franjieh-Hariri meeting has sparked intense speculation that they agreed to the nomination of the Marada chief as president. Hariri has also held talks in Riyadh with several officials of his Mustaqbal movement and Kataeb has launched consultations with the country's Christian parties.The country has been without a president since the end of Michel Suleiman's term in May 2014 due to political bickering and electoral rivalry.

Army Arrests Nusra Member who Executed Soldier in 2014
Naharnet/November 27/15/The Army Intelligence arrested al-Qaida linked al-Nusra Front member, Ali Ahmed al-Lakkis, who had executed soldier Mohammed Hamiyeh in the wake of the Arsal clashes in 2014, the LBCI said on Friday. Lakkis, an expert at preparing explosives and close to the so-called emir of al-Nusra Front in Qalamoun Abu Malik al-Talli, was caught with a fake Syrian passport at the Rafik Hariri International Airport, LBCI added. In September 2014, al-Nusra executed Hamiyeh who was held captive together with other soldiers and servicemen. He was executed with “several bullets” according to a Nusra leader in Syria's Qalamun. Hamiyeh was among nine Lebanese security personnel who featured in a video posted by the Front on August 23, 2014 in which he was the only one donning army fatigues as the rest appeared in Internal Security Forces uniforms. The troops were abducted during deadly clashes in early August between the army and Nusra and Islamic State gunmen in and around the northeastern border town of Arsal. Nineteen troops were killed in the fighting as 35 soldiers and policemen were taken hostage. The Front later released seven security personnel who were in its custody while the IS has executed two army troops.

Geagea: March 14 Must Not Make Any Step unless It Serves March 14's Principles, Objectives
Naharnet/November 27/15/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed Friday that the March 14 coalition “must not make any step unless it serves the principles and objectives of March 14.”“We are the Lebanese Resistance, the Cedar Revolution and March 14,” Geagea told LF members during a party ceremony in Maarab. “'Lebanon First' means 'March 14 First', because there can be no Lebanon without March 14,” he added. “'March 14 First' means clinging until martyrdom to the principles of March 14 and not to anything else,” Geagea underlined. He emphasized that the March 14 camp “must not make any step unless it serves the principles and objectives of March 14.”“'March 14 First' means carefully and fully heeding the voices of hundreds of thousands of people who took to the squares of freedom on March 14, 2005,” Geagea added. His remarks come amid a flurry of political talks in the country between parties from both the March 14 and March 8 camps. The new momentum followed a meeting that was held in Paris between al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri of March 14 and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh of March 8. Hariri has also met in Paris with Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat and Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel. The Franjieh-Hariri meeting has sparked intense speculation that they agreed to the nomination of the Marada chief as president.

Kataeb Delegation Meets Aoun, Urges 'Common Approach' on Electoral Law
Naharnet/November 27/15/A delegation from the Kataeb Party held talks Friday with Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh, stressing that the main Christian political parties must reach a “common approach” on the thorny issue of the electoral law. The delegation comprised Kataeb deputy chief Salim al-Sayegh and politburo member Albert Kostanian and the meeting was held in the presence of Change and Reform bloc secretary MP Ibrahim Kanaan. “Amid the circumstances and challenges facing us, such as the presidential vote and the electoral law, it is normal for us to continue our consultations with the national leaders,” Sayegh said after the talks. “We put him in the picture of the information we have, especially that the momentum launched by the Paris meetings has started to yield positive results and it is our duty to welcome all initiatives,” he added. Sayegh was referring to separate meetings in the French capital that former premier Saad Hariri held with Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh, Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat and Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel. The Franjieh-Hariri meeting has sparked intense speculation that they agreed to the nomination of the Marada chief as president. Turning to the issue of the electoral law, Sayegh said the Kataeb delegation agreed with Aoun on cooperation. “Tomorrow we will visit Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and we'll discuss the same issue and we must have a common approach on the electoral law,” Sayegh added. He also stressed that the law must “ensure real and fair representation for all Lebanese, especially Christians, on the basis of national partnership.”The parliamentary committee tasked with devising a new electoral law will hold its first meeting on Monday, reported An Nahar daily on Friday. The panel was formed in the wake of the a legislative session that was held on November 12 and 13. It has around two months to come up with a new law. The dispute between the rival political blocs over the electoral law forced parliament to extend its own term on two occasions, once in 2013 and the second time in 2014.

Iran to Run Tests to Uncover Cause of Abadi's Death in Saudi
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 27/15/Iran will conduct medical tests to establish if a high-ranking diplomat died of suffocation at this year's hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, following widely contrasting accounts about his demise. Suspicion has surrounded the case of Ghazanfar Roknabadi, 49, a former ambassador to Lebanon, with senior officials suggesting as late as two weeks ago that he was alive and being held hostage. But Iran confirmed Thursday that Roknabadi's corpse had been found in Saudi Arabia. His body arrived back in Tehran on Friday with his coffin draped in the Iranian flag for a funeral ceremony. He is thought to have been among 464 Iranians killed in the hajj's worst-ever tragedy in September -- at least 2,236 perished in a stampede at Mina, near the Saudi city of Mecca. But confusion over his death has added to already heavy strain between Tehran and Riyadh, the Middle East's strongest Shiite and Sunni powers, who back opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Until last year, Roknabadi was Tehran's envoy to Beirut, a highly sensitive post. Lebanon is home to the Iranian-backed movement Hizbullah, allied with President Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war, who Riyadh has repeatedly urged to stand down. Roknabadi's body was identified by DNA in Saudi Arabia but secondary testing will be used to determine if he died in the hajj crush, his brother was quoted saying by the ISNA news agency. "If the result of examinations in Tehran contradicts the Saudis' claim that my brother died in the Mina incident we will complain via international forums," Morteza Roknabadi said. He acknowledged the rumours about his brother's death, which followed recent remarks by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. "Our intelligence indicates that he is still alive, and we ask Saudi Arabia to return him alive," Abdollahian said on November 11. When Roknabadi was initially reported as being among the hajj victims Iran's foreign ministry denied claims by some Arab media that he had travelled to Saudi Arabia under a false name. On Friday, ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari confirmed further testing would take place to establish how the diplomat died but the assumption was natural causes. Top Iranian officials including supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Saudi Arabia of incompetence at the hajj and said the handling of the aftermath and repatriation of bodies was far too slow.

Report: Lebanon Incurring $16 Billion in Losses from Refugee Crisis
Naharnet/November 27/15/Prime Minister Tammam Salam chaired on Thursday a meeting of the committee tasked with addressing the case of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday. Sources from talks told the daily that Lebanon has incurred in the past year 16 billion dollars in losses as a result of the crisis. The losses rose from 7 billion in 2014 to 16 billion in 2015. Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq, Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, and Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi were present at the talks. This is the first such meeting for the committee in around two months. The gatherers performed a revision of the issues concerned with the refugee crisis, added the sources. They revealed that Lebanon has only received some 975 million dollars in aid from 2.4 billion pledged to the country from the second Kuwait donors conference held earlier this year to help it cope with the burden of refugees. The gatherers noted that the dangers against Lebanon from the Syrian crisis have increased in recent months, most notably because “the international community has lost interest in the issue, leaving it up to the poor countries neighboring Syria to deal with it.” Lebanon is harboring over 1.5 million Syrian refugees. The Kuwait donors conference was held earlier this year, with pledges up to 3.8 billion dollars being made to help countries that are supporting the refugees.

Electoral Committee Holds First Meeting on Monday
Naharnet/November 27/15/The parliamentary committee tasked with devising a new electoral law will hold its first meeting on Monday, reported An Nahar daily on Friday. It said that the committee was scheduled to meet on Tuesday, but it decided to hold it on Monday instead. The panel was formed in the wake of the a legislative session that was held on November 12 and 13. It has around two months to come up with a new law. The dispute between the rival political blocs over the electoral law forced parliament to extend its own term on two occasions, once in 2013 and the second time in 2014. The dispute has forced the postponement of the parliamentary elections twice.

Onus on Frangieh to garner Aoun’s
The Daily Star/November 27/15/BEIRUT: Electing a new president for Lebanon has yet to overcome a number of hurdles, with Hezbollah relying on MP Sleiman Frangieh to convince MP Michel Aoun to back his candidacy. “The nomination is not a maneuver. It is a serious move. The main stumbling block is Aoun’s position,” a senior March 8 source told The Daily Star Thursday. “Hezbollah, though it supports Frangieh, will not leave Aoun so the general’s consent is required. It’s a tough task but not impossible. The onus is on Frangieh to convince Aoun.”A March 8 leader, Frangieh has emerged as the favorite candidate to fill the vacant presidency seat following his reported meeting with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, amid signs of regional and international support for the Marada Movement leader’s presidential bid. Hariri has yet to officially announce that he backs Frangieh’s presidential bid though.But Aoun, the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, remains the No. 1 candidate for the March 8 coalition. The Marada Movement leader himself has reiterated this fact after attending a national dialogue session Wednesday. Speaking to The Daily Star, political sources said that convincing Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea of backing Frangieh was another difficult task. Geagea is the March 14 coalition’s presidential candidate and a historical rival of Frangieh. Future bloc MP Atef Majdalani told a local radio station that up till now, Geagea was the group’s candidate. “Marada Movement leader Sleiman Frangieh has not yet been proposed as a presidential candidate within the Future Movement.”Health Minister Wael Abu Faour said that deliberations were being held within each of the March 8 and March 14 groups regarding the presidential deadlock. “I will not go into details. It is clear that MP Sleiman Frangieh is currently the leading candidate. But up till now, both camps are holding deliberations to reach an outcome,” Abu Faour said after meeting Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel at his Bikfaya residence. “I met MP Sami Gemayel as part of the consultations between the Progressive Socialist Party and the Kataeb Party which we are eager to preserve.”“We, as a Progressive Socialist Party, are totally convinced that the political, security and economic situation compels a certain settlement in the country,” Abu Faour said. Meanwhile, Hezbollah renewed its support for national dialogue and the need for a comprehensive settlement to end Lebanon’s political stalemate. “The eagerness to achieve agreement between various political factions in Lebanon requires the continuation of dialogue chaired by Speaker Nabih Berri,” Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc said in a statement after its regular meeting. The group said that dialogue would help various political groups agree on a package deal that would bring the various political crises of the country to an end. Lebanon has been without a head of state since the term of ex-President Michel Sleiman ended in May 2014. Parliament has held over 30 sessions in an attempt to elect a new head of state, all of which have failed due to sharp differences between the March 8 and March 14 groups.

Hezbollah fires back at Saudi sanctions
Now Lebanon/November 27/15/BEIRUT – Hezbollah has slammed Saudi Arabia for slapping sanctions on a number of its top leaders, saying that Riyadh was following Washington’s “dictates.”On Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry imposed financial sanctions on twelve senior officials in the Lebanese militant group, including Mustafa Badreddine, who was indicted in 2011 by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon for the killing of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri. “The Kingdom will continue to fight against terrorist activities of Hezbollah by all available means and will continue to work with partners around the world,” the ministry said in a statement. “Hezbollah is spreading chaos and instability, launching terrorist attacks and practicing criminal and illegal activities around the world; the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue to classify activists, leaders and entities belonging to Hezbollah, and impose sanctions on them,” it added. Hezbollah’s Loyalty to the Resistance parliamentary bloc fired back later Thursday, saying Riyadh had “responded quickly to American dictates,” in reference to a sanctions bill against the party approved by the US Senate last week. “This decree is a repeated copy of procedures already declared by the American administration,” Hezbollah’s statement said. On November 17, the US Senate passed by unanimous decree the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015, a piece of legislation that targets Hezbollah’s global financial activities. The bill—which is backed by Republican presidential candidate Senator Marco Rubio—also targets Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television. Hezbollah on Thursday reiterated its condemnation of the legislation, calling it “a brazen aggression on Lebanon and a flagrant violation of our national sovereignty, not to mention a transgression on all standards of international law and relations.” “The resistance will not desist from continuing on its path, and keeping to its values and principles,” the party insisted

A letter to Michel Aoun
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/Now Lebanon/November 27/15
Dear Mr. Aoun,
Greetings. In less than 50 days, you will turn 81, which, were you elected president of Lebanon, would make you one of the oldest leaders in the world. While electing elderly citizens is legal, many countries frown upon handing the top executive job to people whose cognitive and physical skills are waning.
Yet you should never consider your inability to become president as a failure, for you have lived a fulfilling life as one of Lebanon’s most influential Christian leaders.
Mr. Aoun, it has been 10 years since you returned from your exile in Paris and engaged again in Lebanon’s politics. Since 2005, your party has controlled the biggest bloc in parliament, occupied top government portfolios and been a major power broker.
Despite this vast influence, you and your party have yet to deliver on any of your “change and reform” promises. Lebanese public debt has further soared, state corruption has spread, and services — including under ministries that your people managed — have deteriorated.
I write you this letter because you have to understand that driving Lebanon into the abyss will not spare anyone, including you. If the Lebanese government defaults, public money that funds your patronage network will dry up. If Lebanon returns to civil war, your Christian neighborhoods will not be safe. If Lebanon continues deteriorating, the Christian population that thoughtlessly sends you back to parliament every election — to spite the Sunnis — will keep dwindling.
No community, Christian or otherwise, will grow and prosper when the state is falling apart and the country is sinking in filth, with no electricity, water or other basic services.
I write you this letter, Mr. Aoun, because while you are busy massaging your ego and shamelessly keeping Lebanon leaderless as a means by which to force others to elect you president, the world has seemingly moved on.
See, Mr. Aoun, the French designed Lebanon as a Christian nation to offset the power of the Sunnis — the majority across the Middle East. Like other minority mandate states, the French gave Lebanon a considerable chunk of Sunnis so as to diffuse and dilute their demographic weight.
Lebanon also has Shiites. Between 1943 and 1975, the Shiites were known as the “Maronites of the Muslims,” not because the Shiites ruled or behaved arrogantly, but because Maronite leaders used Shiite demographics to beat their rivals — the Sunnis and the Druze.
The Maronite-Shiite alignment against the Sunnis and Druze has been a bad omen. Good things happened to Lebanon mostly when Lebanon’s Maronites joined forces with their Sunni compatriots. Think, Mr. Aoun, how the Lebanese ejected the French in 1943, Yasser Arafat in 1982, and Bashar Assad in 2005 and you will find that behind each one of these independence-winning milestones was a surge in Maronite-Sunni harmony.
You, Mr. Aoun, might also want to consider another set of circumstances — this one foreign — which allowed Lebanon to live in peace and enjoy extended periods of prosperity.
In 1958, Washington and Cairo (then the regional leader) agreed to isolate Lebanon from its troubled surroundings. The result was the onset of Lebanon’s Golden Age under the reign of the Shehabiyya — the successive terms of late presidents Fouad Shehab and Charles Helou. With President Nasser’s death in 1970 and the migration of regional power to groups like the PLO, Lebanon plunged into regional turbulence and civil war broke out.
You, Mr. Aoun, were the acting sovereign when foreign powers gave Lebanon another break in 1990, as America sponsored a Syrian-Saudi agreement, the Taef Accord, which gave Lebanon 13 years of economic expansion under late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and the watchful eye of Syria’s notorious security agencies.
Then the politically unskilled Bashar Assad succeeded his canny father Hafez as president of Syria in 2000. Three years later, America shattered the Sunni-Shiite balance with its war in Iraq. The two events destabilized Lebanon.
Today, dear Mr. Aoun, Lebanon has another chance to stabilize. Since the middle of last year, the two major regional powers — Saudi Arabia and Iran — have decided, each out of its own interests, that Lebanon should stay out of the Syrian inferno.
Iran has been desperate to shore up Assad by throwing as many Shiite Lebanese bodies as it can to defend him. But Iran wants Hezbollah to fight in Syria while keeping Lebanon stable. Assad does not share Iran’s view and wants Lebanon to go up in flames to prove that his war is not about preserving his own dictatorship, but something bigger than him and his country.
So Mr. Aoun, because regional interests have lined up in such a way as to isolate Lebanon and keep it stable, your Shiite muscle might let parliament elect a Maronite president who is not you.
In your twilight years, it might be a good idea for you to think of your legacy and stop taking the state hostage of your presidential ambitions.
You, Mr. Aoun, are mortal. Lebanon should not be.
**Hussain Abdul-Hussain is the Washington Bureau Chief of Kuwaiti newspaper Alrai. He tweets @hahussain

Family of Saudi Death Row Youth Fear Imminent Execution
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 27/15/The family of a Shiite activist sentenced to death after protesting in Saudi Arabia has voiced concerns for his fate as a rights group warned of his imminent execution. The sentence against Ali al-Nimr, only 17 when he was arrested in February 2012, has drawn international condemnation over his young age and allegations he was tortured. Ali al-Nimr's uncle told AFP on Friday his family fears "the government is serious, very serious" about carrying out the sentence. Jaffar al-Nimr said that his nephew reported that he had undergone a medical check when his family last spoke to him two weeks ago. Amnesty International warned Thursday that Ali al-Nimr was among more than 50 people, including other Shiite activists, at increased risk of soon being put to death in a single day. His mother and the mothers of other detainees implored King Salman for clemency after learning of preparations possibly associated with impending executions, the London-based rights group said. Ali al-Nimr's case has provoked a call for clemency from France, while the United States expressed "deep concern". Activists say Ali al-Nimr is one of three Shiite protesters who were minors at the time of their arrest and have been sentenced to death. They have exhausted all appeals. "International law prohibits the use of the death penalty against anyone under the age of 18," Amnesty said on Thursday. It added that there were "credible allegations" the three youths had been tortured. Their fate rests with King Salman who, activists say, must give final approval before death sentences are carried out. The case of Jaffar al-Nimr's brother, Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, also rests with Salman after the Supreme Court last month upheld his death sentence for sedition. "They are peaceful people," Jaffar al-Nimr said. "They are not criminals."The sheikh was a driving force behind protests that erupted in 2011 in eastern Saudi Arabia, where most of the country's estimated two million Shiites live. The protests developed into a call for equality in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, where many Shiites have complained of marginalization. Amnesty said Nimr al-Nimr was among six Shiite activists at imminent risk of execution who were "clearly convicted in unfair trials." The rights group earlier this month reported that a surge in executions in Saudi Arabia had pushed to 151 the number of people put to death this year. In recent weeks, however, there has been a marked drop in the number of executions, all of which are reported by the official Saudi Press Agency. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Thursday was asked about the case of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, sentenced to flogging and 10 years in jail for allegedly insulting Islam. "We expect other countries to respect our legal system," he said.

Israel Says to Open First Mission in Abu Dhabi
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 27/15/Israel is set to open a mission in Abu Dhabi as part of an international green energy body, Israeli officials said Friday -- its first official presence in the United Arab Emirates. The mission will operate under the International Renewable Energy Agency, of which Israel is a member, foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told AFP. Establishing a permanent presence in Abu Dhabi will not change Israel's official relationship with the UAE, which does not recognize Israel and has no diplomatic ties with it. But as the headquarters for an international organization, the Emirates is obliged to accept an Israeli representative under United Nations guidelines. The presence of a permanent mission in Abu Dhabi is likely to boost diplomatic efforts by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has repeatedly stressed that a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers opens the door to closer Israeli-Arab ties.The mission has been the subject of years of top secret discussions, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz.

U.S. soldiers in Syria to back anti-ISIS Kurds
AFP, Beirut Friday, 27 November 2015/U.S. soldiers are in Kobane, the town in northern Syria nearly destroyed in fierce fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria group, to train Kurdish forces to battle the militants, Kurdish sources said Thursday.He said they had arrived in two groups over the past two days, coming from Turkey and from the autonomous Kurdish region of neighboring Iraq. He said about 30 were in Kobane itself, with the rest in Hasakeh province in eastern Syria. Abdel Rahman, whose group relies on a local network of sources, said the U.S. troops are expected to rendezvous in Kobane to train fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of factions backed by the United States. The U.S. Central Command declined to comment on details. “We have said before that we will be putting a small number of troops on the ground in Syria to coordinate with our partners there in a non-combat role. We will not be providing the specifics of their whereabouts or travel plans beyond that,” a statement said. The news comes after Brett McGurk, President Barack Obama’s special envoy to the coalition, said Sunday that U.S. forces would be arriving on the ground “very soon”.At the end of October, Obama authorized the deployment of 50 special operations troops to Syria, and McGurk said their job would be to “organize” local forces. A key objective will be to “isolate” Raqqa, he said. The alliance of local fighters has already retaken more than 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) from ISIS and killed around 300 ISIS fighters, McGurk said. ISIS began an offensive on the Kobane area, which lies right on the Turkish border, in September 2014. Within a couple of weeks it had captured scores of villages and towns around Kobane city and attacked it, prompting thousands of Kurds to flee their homes. After a desperate resistance that drew worldwide attention, the Kurds managed to regain full control of the city in January and eventually retake most of the lost territory.

French FM Sees Syrian Regime Participating in Anti-IS Fight
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 27/15/French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Friday he could envisage Syrian regime troops taking part in the fight to crush the Islamic State group. However, Fabius later clarified his comments, saying he meant that Syrian government troops could take part in the fight against IS only after a change of regime. In order to fight IS, "there must be two measures: bombings... and ground troops who cannot be ours, but who should be of the (opposition) Free Syrian Army, Sunni Arab forces, and why not regime forces too," Fabius said in an interview with RTL radio. But he told AFP shortly afterwards he meant that regime forces could take part "within the context of a political transition -- and only in this context". The principal target of military efforts remains Raqa, the Syrian city that is the stronghold of IS, Fabius said. Russian and French jets have targeted the town in recent days. "For us it is one of the main military targets, even the main one, because it is the nerve centre of Daesh, and the attacks against France were planned from there," Fabius said, using another name for IS. French President Francois Hollande said after talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday that Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is strongly backed by Russia, "has no place in the future of Syria."However, France and some other Western nations have lately softened their approach to Assad, suggesting he could be part of a transitional process to end a war that has left 250,000 people dead.

Kremlin Says Western Powers 'not Ready' to Work in Anti-IS Coalition with Russia
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 27/15/The Kremlin said Friday that Western powers were not ready to form a coalition with Russia to fight Islamic State jihadists in Syria, after talks between President Vladimir Putin and French leader Francois Hollande. "At the moment, unfortunately, our partners are not ready to work within the format of single coalition," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added however that Russia remained open to cooperation "in any format our partners would be ready for." After jihadists killed 130 people in Paris this month in attacks claimed by IS, Hollande traveled to Moscow on Thursday, hoping to bolster global efforts to crush IS. Putin had urged global powers to band together in the fight against jihadists in September during an address to the United Nations General Assembly, just before Russia launched its own bombing campaign in Syria. Separately, a U.S.-led coalition that includes France had already been staging air strikes against IS targets in Syria for over a year. Putin and Hollande agreed Thursday to coordinate strikes and share intelligence in what was the most concrete sign of progress from the French leader's diplomatic marathon that has also included talks with the leaders of the United States, Germany, Britain and Italy. But the idea of a single anti-IS coalition involving Western powers and Russia did not get off the ground as U.S. President Barack Obama is said to have given a cool response to Hollande's proposal. The downing of a Russian warplane by NATO member Turkey in Syria has also cast a shadow on the diplomatic efforts to step up the fight against the jihadists. While Turkey said Friday it wanted to calm tensions with Russia and local media said Ankara "temporarily" suspended air strikes against IS targets in Syria, the Kremlin said Russia would press ahead with its bombing campaign in the war-torn country."We proceed from the fact that the Russian air force is continuing an operation to support an offensive by the Syrian armed forces against terrorist organizations," Peskov said. He added that Putin discussed the crisis with his aides at a meeting of his national security council on Friday. "The meeting discussed increased tensions over Syria against the background of Turkey's aggressive and unpredictable actions," Peskov told reporters.

Lavrov Says Turkey 'Crossed the Line' with Warplane Downing
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 27/15/Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday said that Ankara has crossed the line by shooting down a Russian warplane this week and warned the incident could severely undermine Turkey's interests. "We believe that the Turkish leadership has crossed the line of what is acceptable," Lavrov said at the start of talks with Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem in Moscow. Ankara "risks putting Turkey in a most severe situation, with respect to both its long-term national interests and the situation in the region," he said. Moscow is reeling after a Russian warplane carrying out strikes in Syria was shot down on the Turkish-Syrian border on Tuesday -- an incident President Vladimir Putin described as a "treachery" and a "stab in the back." Ankara has argued that it did not realize the plane, which it said had violated Turkish airspace, was Russian, and claimed it issued multiple warnings to the pilot to change course. The incident led to the death of two Russian officers -- Moscow's first combat deaths since it launched a bombing campaign in Syria on September 30 -- including the pilot and a special forces soldier who participated in a rescue operation. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday sought to ease tensions with Moscow, calling for unity against the Islamic State group and arguing the shooting of the plane was not an act against Russia. The Kremlin however did not seem in a conciliatory mood. Putin on Friday discussed the downing with his security council, particularly the "increased tensions over Syria against the background of Turkey's aggressive and unpredictable actions," his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The Russian government is currently preparing economic retaliatory measures against Turkey, a major trading partner particularly in the tourism and agriculture sectors. Peskov confirmed the Kremlin had received a proposal from Erdogan to hold a meeting with Putin in Paris next week but did not say whether Moscow had accepted or refused the offer. Putin had previously refused to take Erdogan's call following the plane downing. Peskov confirmed that Putin was "made aware" of the Turkish leader's attempt to communicate, which was made several hours after the plane was shot down.

Russia halts visa-free regime for Turks from 2016
AFP, MoscowFriday, 27 November 2015/Russia said on Friday it would suspend its visa-free regime for Turkish nationals from January 1 as it retaliates against Ankara for the downing of a Russian warplane. Moscow has ruled out any military response against NATO member Turkey, but it has pledged broad retaliatory measures targeting entire sectors of the Turkish economy including tourism, agriculture and investments. “A decision has been made to halt the visa-free regime with Turkey,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters after talks with Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem in Moscow. “This decision will enter into force from January 1, 2016.” President Vladimir Putin earlier warned citizens not to travel to Turkey, whose affordable beaches are hugely popular with Russian holidaymakers, and the foreign ministry on Thursday urged Russians who are already in Turkey to come home, citing “existing terrorist threats.”
Lavrov on Friday denied that the decision to suspend the visa-free regime was an act of revenge. “Threats from this country are quite real,” he said, adding that “fighters” were passing through Turkey “in all directions.” “Russia is quite concerned with increasing terrorist threats in the Republic of Turkey,” he said. “This is directly linked to the safety of Russia and our citizens.” He added that Turkey this year deported more than 200 Russian nationals, most often to third countries including those conducting “policies that are hostile towards Russia.”
Hostile policies
On Thursday, the head of Russia’s state tourism agency Rostourism, Oleg Safonov, said that Russian tourists spend an estimated 10 billion rubles ($151 million) in Turkey annually. “Now Turkey would not get this money, it will remain in Russia and will facilitate the development of internal tourism,” he said. As of November 26, there were more than 9,900 Russian tourists in Turkey. “Not a single Russian tourist will remain in Turkey by December 26, 2015,” the tourism agency said. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday gave his ministers two days to work out a plan to curb cooperation with Turkish companies. Russia also said it would tighten checks on food imports over alleged safety standard violations. Economy minister Alexei Ulyukayev said he did not rule out that the retaliatory measures could hit two major projects with Turkey -- the planned TurkStream gas pipeline and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant -- in a move that looked set to rattle cages in energy-poor Turkey.

German arms dealer probed over possible link to Paris attacks: prosecutor
AFP, BerlinFriday, 27 November 2015/German prosecutors said Friday they were investigating whether an illegal arms dealer had sold four assault rifles to a person in the French capital and whether there were “possible links to the attacks in Paris.”The 24-year-old German national from the southwestern town Magstadt was arrested Tuesday on charges of having converted starter guns which shoot blanks into deadly firearms and illegally selling them online. Police had found several handguns during a search of his home, said prosecutors in the nearby city of Stuttgart. “Investigations so far suggest that the accused could have sold four assault rifles to a buyer in Paris in November,” said the prosecutors’ statement. “Possible links to the attacks in Paris are being checked,” it added, referring to the series of gun and explosive assaults that claimed 130 lives on November 13. Earlier Friday, the mass-circulation Bild daily reported that the arms dealer, whom it identified as Sascha W., had sold two AK47s and two Zastava M70s on November 7 to an Arab customer in Paris. “French investigators believe that the weapons were allegedly used in the attacks in Paris,” said Bild. Bild said the suspect was accused of having hawked the weapons on the Darknet -- a hidden network used for both legal and illicit ends -- using the name “DW Guns”. Four emails on his smartphone had shown that he sold “four Kalashnikov assault rifles to an Arab in Paris”, added the newspaper. The prosecutor’s office said the man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of converting starter guns into deadly weapons and selling them on the Darknet. “He is believed to have built the parts for this himself,” the spokesman said, adding that only pistols had been found.

Kurds ‘should’ be at Saudi-held Syria opposition meet
Reuters, BeirutFriday, 27 November 2015/Syrian Kurds need political and military representation at a Syrian opposition conference organized by Saudi Arabia next month because they are a main partner fighting Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and important to Syria’s future, a Syrian Kurdish leader said. Saudi Arabia says it is in contact with opposition groups about a potential meeting in the kingdom to unify their position ahead of upcoming peace talks. Some groups fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are wary of the Kurds, whom they see as collaborating with Damascus, a charge they deny. Saleh Muslim, co-chair of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), said no official invitations for the conference had been received yet but that the PYD expected to be represented via the National Coordination Body, a broader internal opposition group. What was more important was representation of armed factions, Muslim said. This meant the Democratic Forces of Syria, a new U.S.-backed coalition force involving the Kurdish YPG militia and Arab fighters, must be allowed to attend. “They are the main partner against Daesh (ISIS). Those forces are taking the areas liberated from the regime and from Daesh, so this group should be a part of it,” he told Reuters by telephone, describing the new armed alliance as “a project for the future of Syria.” “If there is Free Syrian Army (invited), this group should also be represented. The representation of the autonomous (Kurdish) area also should be there because they are a main factor in this conflict,” he said. Saudi Arabia has not yet set a date for the conference, which is seen as an opportunity to bring together groups whose lack of unity has been a long-standing problem in seeking a peaceful solution to the nearly five-year conflict. The YPG militia has seized swathes of Syria from ISIS with the help of U.S.-led strikes. The Syrian Kurds have declared an autonomous administration across parts of northern Syria along the Turkish border, rankling Ankara, which has fought a decades-long insurgency against Kurdish PKK separatists.
Turning the tables
Muslim accused Turkey of shooting down a Russian jet earlier this week in order to further disrupt the Syrian war, where he said armed groups backed by Turkey had lost some ground. “Turkey wanted to turn the tables because they don’t want the Syrian conflict to go towards a peace process and a political solution. I think there was planning for such a thing,” he said, echoing Russian comments about Turkey. Turkey has said the Russian jet violated its airspace and that its air force had responded correctly. “It’s a new escalation in the Syrian conflict,” Muslim said, pointing out that Russia had already retaliated by bombarding a rebel-held border crossing on Wednesday which he said insurgents had been using to ferry in supplies from Turkey. “We are worried but it is becoming clearer and clearer what is going on,” he said, saying that Turkey had been supporting groups that cooperated with hardline Islamists in Syria. “There is Daesh, there is an Al-Qaeda-related organisation, Nusra Front, which works with groups like Ahrar al-Sham and the others. Many of those are supported by Turkey - this is the problem. Everything has been made very clear in front of our eyes,” he said.
Denial
Turkey has denied supporting hardline groups in Syria.Muslim said Russia had been bombarding insurgents in Syria which included Chechen and Asian fighters Moscow sees as a threat to its national security. “Russia is dealing with them because they see them as a threat for Russia in the future if they come back. They are talking about 5,000 people that are there,” he said, referring to foreign fighters. He added that the PYD had however not increased its contacts with Moscow since Russia started bombing Syria two months ago. “It is just ordinary contact... we have a representative in Moscow who relays information from them. But there is nothing new,” he said, adding that Moscow had not offered increased support for the Kurds either. “They don’t offer and we didn’t ask for it.”

Germany frees two held for alleged ‘act of violence’ plot
AFP, BerlinFriday, 27 November 2015/German police said Friday they had released two men detained on suspicion of planning a “serious act of violence” following raids in Berlin that targeted militants. “I can confirm that both suspects were freed from custody at 4:30 am (0330 GMT),” said police spokeswoman Kerstin Ismer. The men, aged 28 and 46, had been detained Thursday after police commandos raided an Islamic cultural center in western Berlin and a building in Britz, a southern suburb of the German capital. The two were picked up in Britz, where experts also examined a suspicious object in a car that turned out to be harmless, police had said. The searches did not turn up any weapons or explosives. Local media reported officers had acted on a tip-off that an attack was being planned, as European police forces are on high alert following the deadly militant attacks in Paris on November 13 that claimed 130 lives. A Germany-Netherlands football match in the northern German city of Hanover was called off on November 17 at the last minute over fears of an attack.

Turkey ‘unwilling to apologize’ to Russia: Putin aide
Staff writer, Al Arabiya NewsFriday, 27 November 2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to contact Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Turkey earlier this week shot down a Russian warplane, an aide said, while Erdogan stated his wish to meet his Putin “face-to-face” soon. The two countries are currently engaged in a war of words over the downing of the jet on Tuesday, one of the most serious incidents between a NATO member and Russia to date. “We see Turkey’s unwillingness to simply apologize for the incident with the plane,” President aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Friday. Yet Erdogan said that he would “like to meet him [Putin] face to face on Monday,” Reuters reported. The two leaders are both expected to attend a climate conference in Paris on Nov. 30. Turkey says the Russian plane strayed into its airspace and ignored repeated warnings - a charge Russia denies, accusing Ankara of a “planned provocation.”
Meanwhile on Friday, Ankara “temporarily” suspended air strikes against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) targets in Syria, local media reported. Russia on Thursday vowed to carry out broad retaliatory measures against Turkey’s economy. Turkey, a member of a U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS, has halted air raids against the group in Syria in order to avoid any further crises, the Hurriyet newspaper reported. “Both sides agreed to act cautiously until they re-establish dialogue channels to reduce tensions,” the paper said, citing security sources. Meanwhile, Russia threatened economic retaliation against Turkey, but Ankara dismissed the threats as “emotional” and “unfitting.” President Erdogan responded to Russian accusations that Turkey has been buying oil and gas from ISIS by accusing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his backers, which include Moscow, of being the real source of the group’s financial and military power.
Appeals for calm
World leaders have urged both sides to avoid escalation. In an apparent attempt to cool the dispute - and appeal to Western countries - Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in a letter to Britain’s Times newspaper that Ankara would work with its allies and Russia to “calm tensions.”Earlier, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ordered his government to draw up measures that would include freezing some joint investment projects and restricting food imports from Turkey. Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said Moscow could put limits on flights to and from Turkey, halt preparations for a joint free trade zone, and restrict high-profile projects including the TurkStream gas pipeline and a $20 billion nuclear power plant Russia is building in Turkey. Russia’s defense ministry meanwhile said it had suspended all cooperation with the Turkish military, including a hotline set up to share information on Russian air strikes in Syria, the TASS news agency reported.
Tourism and agriculture halt
The head of Russia’s tourism agency, Rostourism, said cooperation with Turkey would “obviously” be halted. At least two large Russian tour operators had already said they would stop selling packages to Turkey after Russian officials advised holidaymakers against traveling to its resorts. Russians are second only to Germans in terms of the numbers visiting Turkey, bringing in an estimated $4 billion a year in tourism revenues, which Turkey needs to help fund its gaping current account deficit. Medvedev meanwhile said Russia may impose restrictions on food imports within days, having already increased checks of Turkish agriculture products, its first public move to curb trade. Moscow banned most Western food imports in 2014 when Western countries imposed sanctions on Russia over its role in the Ukraine crisis, leading to supply disruptions as retailers had to find new suppliers and galloping inflation.

Protesters Demonstrate against Arrest of Turkish Opposition Journalists
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/November 27/15/Over 1,000 protesters on Friday staged a demonstration outside the Istanbul premises of the opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper against the arrest of the paper's two journalists, accused of spying over a news report. The protesters who included journalists and opposition MPs chanted slogans: "Shoulder to shoulder against fascism," and "Tayyip thief, Tayyip liar, Tayyip killer," referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Dozens of protesters also gathered outside the Ankara office of the daily. An Istanbul court on Thursday charged Cumhuriyet's editor-in-chief Can Dundar and Erdem Gul, the paper's Ankara bureau chief, with spying after they alleged Turkey's intelligence had covertly sent arms to Islamist rebels in Syria. Both men are accused of "divulging state secrets" and placed in pre-trial detention. The opposition daily had reported that Turkish security forces in January 2014 intercepted a convoy of trucks near the Syrian border and discovered boxes of what it described as weapons and ammunition to be sent to rebels fighting against Syrian President Bashar Assad. The footage was published on the newspaper's website in May depicting police opening crates of weapons and ammunition on the back of trucks which the daily claimed belonged to the Turkish Intelligence Organization (MIT). The report sparked a furore in Turkey, fueling speculation about the government's murky role in Syria. Turkey, a vocal critic of the regime in Damascus, has fiercely rejected aiding Islamist rebels in the war-torn country. An angry Erdogan said at the time Dundar would "pay a high price". Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 149th out of 180 in its 2015 press freedom index last month, warning of a "dangerous surge in censorship". The US Embassy in Ankara voiced concerns over the arrests, in a Twitter message. "We are very concerned by the arrests .... and what appears to be yet another media outlet under pressure," the embassy posted on Friday. "We hope the Turkish courts & authorities will uphold the fundamental principle of media freedom enshrined in the Turkish Constitution." The European Union said the journalists' arrests were "worrying". "We are of course following these worrying developments very closely," European Commission foreign affairs spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic told a daily briefing, two days before EU and Turkish leaders meet in Brussels. "Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental principles for the EU (and) ... we have raised these concerns repeatedly with the Turkish authorities," Kocijancic said.

Palestinian shot dead after alleged car ramming
Reuters, Jerusalem Friday, 27 November 2015/A Palestinian was shot dead after allegedly ramming his vehicle into a group of Israelis lightly injuring two soldiers, according to Israeli officials. The alleged attack took place at a bus station near the Israeli West Bank settlement of Kfar Adumim, northeast of Jerusalem. Friday's incident raises the number of Palestinians killed since Oct. 1 to 98. The violence has also left 17 Israelis, an American and an Eritrean dead. The past week has been the deadliest thus far. Attempts to ease the tensions, including a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry have so far proved unsuccessful. Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has called a day of rage today. More than 800 Palestinians have been arrested over the past two months, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon told public radio on Thursday.

Tunisia attacks were planned in Libya: minister
Staff writer, Al Arabiya NewsFriday, 27 November 2015/A series of attacks in Tunisia claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria that killed dozens of people including foreign tourists was planned in neighboring Libya, a top official said Friday. The group has said it was behind a suicide bombing in the centre of Tunis on Tuesday in which 12 presidential guards died. ISIS also claimed two attacks earlier this year at the National Bardo Museum in Tunis and on a hotel near the Mediterranean resort of Sousse that killed a total of 60 people, all but one of them foreign tourists. “Everything is being planned in Libya,” Tunisia’s secretary of state for national security, Rafik Chelly, told private Mosaique FM radio. “The commanders of Tunisian terrorist groups are in Libya,” he added. Tunisian authorities have detained 30 people suspected of having extremism links after the bombing, and identified the bomber as a local street vendor. The Interior Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that forensic police identified the attacker as 27-year-old Houssam ben Hedi ben Miled Abdelli by his DNA. It said he was from a working class neighborhood on the edge of Tunis. ISIS claimed responsibility for Tuesday’s attack on a bus in central Tunis, which left 12 dead plus the attacker. In a previous statement, the ministry said it detained 30 people suspected of links to extremist groups and seized several weapons in 526 raids around the country over the past 24 hours. It didn’t say whether any of the suspects had ties to the attack. The blast shook Tunisia and its fragile young democracy after two attacks on tourist sites this year by Islamic radicals that killed 60 people. A disgruntled Tunisian vendor set himself on fire in 2010, sparking a nationwide uprising that overthrew the president and led to revolts across the Arab world. (With AP and AFP)

Qatar launches probe after rains exposed poor construction
The Associated Press, DubaiFriday, 27 November 2015/Qatar has launched an investigation after heavy rains exposed poor construction in a country set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a deluge that saw water cascade through the roof of its $15 billion main airport. The investigation already is examining the work of five unnamed companies and others could be targeted as well in the probe launched by Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, who also serves as interior minister, the country’s state-run Qatar News Agency said. “Parties responsible for dereliction or negligence, whether governmental or private, will be held accountable,” the agency said, citing a statement late Wednesday from Qatar’s Government Communication Office. Reached for comment, officials at Doha’s Hamad International Airport issued a statement simply saying: “There was no impact to operations yesterday.” It referred other questions to the government. The day before, at least 79.5 millimeters (3.13 inches) of rain fell at the airport, according to the Qatar Meteorology Department. Typically, the hot, desert country sees around 50 millimeters (1.97 inches) of rain in a year. The sudden rainfall saw water pour out of the airport’s ceiling in several places, captured in online videos. Qatar opened Hamad International Airport in April 2014, part of its effort to enter the competitive Gulf airline market. The 600,000 square meter (6.5 million square feet) passenger terminal complex was scheduled to be completed in 2009. The airport is part of a multibillion-dollar building boom in Doha ahead of the 2022 World Cup. However, the push has seen Qatar criticized for the way it treats its large migrant worker population. There also have been accusations of shoddy construction.

Why Turkey’s downing of the Russian jet is justified
Ceylan Ozbudak/Al Arabiya/November 27/15
When the news about Turkey downing a Russian jet started emerging in the media, the first reaction of the Turkish public was neither celebration nor condemnation. An overwhelming majority of the public was asking, “What caused this?” The last time a NATO state shot down a Russian plane was in the 1950s.
Russia and Turkey have been known to be on different sides of the Syrian conflict since 2011, however the two countries managed to keep the relations warm. Lately the Russian air force had been bombing the regions in Syria populated by Turkmens – an ethnic Turk minority – under the pretense of fighting terror. Turkmens are not a violent group of people but mostly civilians who had to take up arms due to the shift in the status quo regarding the civil war. Apart from the Turkmen villages, Russian aerial campaign has not been sparing civilians and children and women casualties were reported since the operations began.
The people of Turkey expect more respect from the Russian side regarding our borders, and more patience from the Turkish military before taking lethal action. Hiding behind the media mantra of fighting ISIS while hitting moderate rebel positions and civilian populated areas by and large, Russia has been shifting the conflict into a binary war between ISIS and the Assad regime.
Continuous violation of Turkish airspace
Russian jets have been violating Turkish airspace since Russia deployed troops to Syria in October. Inside the country, there was a pressure building against the unlawful actions of Russian airpower. There were prior incidents of Turkish military warning the Russian jets for their violations.
If we go back to October 3 and 4, we will remember Russian jets violated Turkish airspace repeatedly. Russia also admitted that a Russian fighter jet actively locked on its radar to the Turkish F-16s sent to intercept it for 4.5 minutes. Notifying Turkey about the codes of the aircraft in the campaign would help reduce the stress of Russian violations over the Turkish airspace. All coalition reportedly forces notify Turkey about any aircraft which is going to be close to or inside its borders for a limited amount of time. Had Russia followed the same discipline, this could help Turkey overlook the violations.
The new rules of engagement were clear
I personally do not support shooting down planes and threatening neighboring armies. There should be a peaceful way out of these incidents. However, I have to say that Turkey’s actions were fully in line with the new rules of engagement adopted after Syria shot down a Turkish jet in 2012. According to the new rules, all elements approaching from Syria are considered an enemy threat and Turkey is entitled to warn the aircrafts that are within 10 miles of Turkish airspace. In case the warnings are not responded to, the aircraft in question is to be shot down. Russian military was aware of these rules and did not comply with them. This left Turkish military with this undesired choice. "Everyone must know that it is our international right and national duty to take any measure against whoever violates our air or land borders," Prime Minister Davutoglu said in Ankara, making it clear this action did not target Russia as a state but the reckless jet, violating the rules. These kinds of unfavorable incidents are not entirely alien to Russia as well. We all remember Russia downed a Korean Airliner in 1983, mistaking it for a warplane due to problems in communication.
Russian Authorities not entirely truthful?
Even though Russia keeps claiming their jet was flying over Syria, Turkey proved with satellite images and radar recordings that the Russian fighter was in its air space. The surviving pilot claimed that they were not warned but the Turkish military also provided the audio recordings of the warnings they issued prior to the downing of the jet. According to these recordings, the Russian pilots were warned over a span of five minutes before an F-16 shot the jet down with a missile.
Read also: ‘I knew it was going to happen’: MEA pilot recalls downing of Russian jet
In a show of support to Turkey’s actions, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg declared: "We stand in solidarity with Turkey and support the territorial integrity of our NATO ally." This statement was followed by support from the U.S. and EU countries. Thankfully, Turkish intellectuals called for de-escalation in tensions. Turkish author Adnan Oktar wrote for Russian, Chinese and Iranian outlets, saying: “It wouldn't be reasonable to raise tensions due to the unwelcome incident between Turkey and Russia, but it should be evaluated with moderation and tranquility.” President Erdogan has said that Ankara has no wish to escalate the incident, also saying “Turkey is not on the side of tension, crisis and animosity.” In the wake of such an unwanted event, I believe the people of Turkey expect more respect from the Russian side regarding our borders, and more patience from the Turkish military before taking lethal action.

Behind Putin and Khamenei’s courtship
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya/November 27/15
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rarely meets with world leaders, but this week he hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who made his first visit to Iran since 2007. Putin held talks with Khamenei and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani. Moscow and Tehran are attempting to build a closer relationship. As part of the charm offensive, Moscow lifted the ban on tech imports to Iran on the same day Putin arrived in there, with a copy of an old handwritten Quran as a gift for Khamenei. Iran’s hardline media outlets, including Keyhan, raved about the successful meeting. Although some policy analysts and scholars say Moscow and Tehran are allying to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power, the cooperation is nuanced and multifaceted. The question of how long this intensified bilateral relationship will last should be asked.
Shared interests
The timing of Putin’s visit is crucial. Both countries share a common interest in counterbalancing and scuttling U.S. foreign policy in the region. Putin and Iran’s hardliners need each other more than ever before. He also wants to reassert his global leadership after tensions between the West and Russia raised and economic sanctions were imposed on Moscow, primarily due to its annexation of Crimea. Moscow’s closer ties with Tehran extend its regional influence, and give it leverage that can be used to push the West to lift sanctions. Putin and Iran’s hardliners need each other more than ever before... Improving ties with Tehran has been a major pillar of Putin’s foreign policy. Russia and Iran are attempting to intensify their military cooperation in Syria, as their interests are being threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other powerful Syrian rebel groups. While Russia relies on airstrikes, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its proxies, such as Hezbollah, can provide the required boots on the ground to make territorial advancements. Russia favors Iran’s hardliners over its reformists. Hardliners, including Khamenei and IRGC officials, are less likely to undermine Moscow’s global influence by having rapprochement with the United States. Improving ties with Tehran has been a major pillar of Putin’s foreign policy. It was under his leadership that Mohammad Khatami became the first Iranian president to visit Russia since the 1979 Iranian revolution.
Differences
After the nuclear deal between six world powers and Tehran, the latter’s improved ties with European countries and its rapprochement with the United States raised Russian fears that Tehran was leaning toward the West. Moscow is attempting to cajole Tehran by offering several irresistible deals. Putin announced that Russia was ready to provide a $5 billion state loan to Tehran, and increase trade in several fields, including energy and railway electrification. He also said his country would resume exporting nuclear technology to Iran, modernizing the heavy water reactor in Arak, and support Tehran in exporting additional and highly enriched uranium. One of Russia’s main concerns is that the West might decrease its energy dependence by tapping into Iran’s oil and gas sectors. Iran seeks a larger role in the gas market, and is welcoming Western partnership. Moscow and Tehran have the first- and second-largest gas reserves in the world. Improved ties between Tehran and the West could endanger Russian exports to Iran (mainly petroleum), as former Soviet states could become better alternatives for Tehran to purchase petroleum. Iran is playing its cards wisely. By playing the West and Russia against each other, Tehran is advancing its regional hegemony. Although Russia and Iran are expected to become closer, there are still limitations. Moscow does not want to damage its ties with other regional powers and Iran’s rivals, including Israel and Turkey. Protecting these relationships would create obstacles between Moscow and Tehran.
However, since the geopolitical and ideological gaps between the United States and Iran are too deep to bridge, Moscow and Tehran will continue to seize the opportunity by relying on each other due to their convergence of interests in the region and their shared antipathy toward Washington.

Turkey’s gift to Assad
Abdullah Hamidaddin/Al Arabiya/November 27/15
From the moment the news came out, political analysts knew that it did not matter whether the Russian plane had violated Turkey's airspace. Moscow said it had not, while Ankara and its NATO allies said it had, but it was clear that what would happen would not be influenced by the technical issue of airspace. Talk of Turkey's right to protect its airspace was only for diplomatic rhetoric and official statements. Also, no one expects a war to erupt - neither country wants that. What I personally suspect is that Turkey may have wanted was to bring NATO to its side. This seems the only reason that makes sense. I don't know why would Ankara shoot down a single plane that reportedly spent about 17 seconds in its airspace, especially that it was allegedly not flying further into Turkey. Perhaps Ankara found this violation an opportunity to escalate in a way that invoked the NATO charter? Russia has brought in an air defense system, permanently killing the idea of a no-fly zone. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could not be happier. I assume this because since Russia started its operations in Syria, the Turks have felt helpless as they watch the rope becoming tighter around the necks of their allies in Syria. Moreover, Ankara knew that continuing support for its allies would have to result at some point in a confrontation with Russia. It also knew that this confrontation would only happen in Syria, and thus not oblige NATO to act. As such, downing the plane was not a tactical military action, but a strategic one.
Change of tune
After much pomp about Turkey’s sovereignty being violated and the right to protect itself, Ankara now says it did not know it was a Russian plane. It is as if Turkey is saying if it knew it was Russian, it would have tolerated the violation of its airspace. What happened to explain this change in tone? Washington was supporting Turkish claims of airspace violation and the right to retaliate. Why then come out so apologetic and in a very unsophisticated fashion? Well, NATO did not jump in. Various members simply called for de-escalation. NATO is more worried about escalation in Ukraine, and about the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), than an accident on the Syrian-Turkish border. Moreover, Turkey had long been known to support ISIS, and for a while the world, including NATO, looked the other way. After the Paris attacks and U.N. Security Council resolution 2249 - which targets ISIS and its supporters - this was no longer the case. Now France and the world want to eradicate ISIS once and for all, and Turkey’s support for the group will no longer be tolerated. Turkey realized very quickly that downing the plane was a mistake. Russia has taken advantage of the situation. It started to formally expose Turkey’s relationship with ISIS, and it intensified its bombing of the border region. Most importantly, Russia has brought in an air defense system, ending all Turkish dreams of ever flying into Syria again, and permanently killing the idea of a no-fly zone. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad could not be happier. He needed Moscow to fight on his side, but he needed more to feel confident that the Russians are stuck. They were in Syria fighting ISIS, but he wanted them to be there as a matter of Russian national pride. Assad wanted the Russians to need him, not just to want to support him. For Moscow, he has now become it way of getting revenge for the shooting down of the plane. This is the gift Turkey gave Assad.